Folding mail box



Filed May 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORf QOLPH W OLSON, 5y

ATTORNEYS June 30, M25

A. W. OLSON FOLDING MAL B OX Filed May 7', 1924 ',mfw w @wmf y 74.

TTQRNE Patented June' 3Q, 1925.

NSE.

ADOLPH W'. OLSON, 0F VIAvI-INOIVIEN, MINNESOTA.

FOLDING MAIL BOX.

'Application filed May i',

cState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Mail Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to folding mail boxes and an object is to provide a box which is adapt-ed to be secured to doors or to other places which are provided with a slot through which mail or other articles are pushed from the outside. An object in particular is to provide a device of this character which when not in use is folded up against the inside of the door over the slot therein, and which when mail or the like is pushed through the slot is caused to drop down into unfolded condition to constitute a receptacle for receiving the mail, thus preventing it from being scattered over the Hoor.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description and the novel features embodied in my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention,-

Fig. l is a front view showing the box in unfolded or down position. Fig. 2 is a View in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in section showing the box in folded position. Fig. 4 is a front view showing the box folded. Fig. 5 is a detail view in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings I provide a sheet metal plate 10 which is secured by screws, or other suitable fasteners, to the inside of the door D in such manner that a slot 12 in the metal plate registers with the customary mail slot S in the door. A bottom member let for the box has an upstanding flange 16 around its margin. A pintle 18 serves to hingedly attach the bottom member at one end to the metal plate 10. Two side walls 20 and 22 are hingedly attached to the bottom member 14: by means of pintles 24 and 26. The metal plate 10 near opposite sides thereof is provided with ears 28 and 30 having sockets which receive balls 32 and 3st formed on the forward bent ends of links 36 and 38 which have rear bent ends provided with 1924. Serial No. 711,602.

balls l0 and l2 which are received in sockets formed in ears la and lo secured to the side walls 2O and Q2 near their forward ends. An end wall 48 is hingedly attached to the rear or free end of the bottoni member 14C by a pintle 50. lVhile pintle hinges constitute a desirable means of attachment, it will be understood that the side walls and end wall may be movably attached to the bottom member in any desired manner. The box when not in use is held up over the slot in the door by frictional engagement with a linger 52 projecting out from the upper end of the metal plate 10.

0 The operation and advantages' of my invention will be obvious in connection with the foregoing description. The box is ordinarily held up in folded condition by engagement of the flange 1G with the linger 52. Vhen mail or similar matter is pushed through the slot in the door the flange 16 is disengaged from the linger 52 and the box falls by gravity into its unfolded condition and receives the matter which fhas been pushed through the slot, thereby preventing scattering of the mail over the floor and doing away with the necessity of stooping over on the part of the person who gathers up the mail. It will be noted that the links 36 and 88 have a three-fold function. They prevent the bottom member 14 from vdropping beyond a horizontal position. They cause the side walls to assume a vertical position when the device is unfolded, and they cause the side walls to fold when the device is swung up over the slot in the door after the mail has been removed from the box. At this time the end wall 48, which has been held by engagement with the side walls, will drop by gravity and hence will fold concurrently with the side walls.

I claim:

1. A folding mail-box comprising a bottom member, means for hingedly attaching said bottom member at one end to a door having a slot therein, side walls movably attached to said bottom member, means foi causing said side walls to asume an upwardly-p'rojecting posit-ion when the device is unfolded and whereby said side walls assume a depressed position when the device is swung up over said slot, and an end wall attached to the free end of said bottom member.

2. A folding mail-box comprising a bottom member, means for hingedly attaching said bottom member at one end to a door having a slot therein, side walls hinged to said bottom member, means for causing said side walls vto assume a vertical position when the device is unfolded and for causing said side walls to fold when the device isswung up over said slot, and an` end wall attached to the free end of said bottom member.

3. A folding mail-box comprising a bottom member, means for hingedly attaching said bottom member at one end to a door having a slot therein, side walls hinged to Said bottom member, means for causing said side walls to assume a vertical position when the device is unfolded and for causing said side walls to fold when the device is swung up over said slot, and an end wall hinged to the free end of said bottom member, said end wall being arranged for folding movement concurrentlj,7 with 'said side walls.

yA folding mail-box comprising a bottom member, means for hingedly attaching said bottom memberat one endV to a door havinga slottheren, side walls hinged to said bottom member, links pivot-alb7 connect-r ing said side walls with the door, said links being arranged to maintain said bottom member in horizontal position when the device is unfolded, and to cause said side walls to fold i'nwardly'when the device is swung up over said slot, and an end wall hinged to the free end of said bottom member, said end wall being arranged for folding movement concurrently with said side Walls.

5. A foldingV mail-box comprising a bottom member, said bottom member having an upwardly-extending flange around its margin, means for hngedly attaching said bottom member at one end to a door having a slot therein, side walls hinged to lsaid flange, links pivotally connecting Said side walls with the door, said links being ar ranged to maintain said bottom member in horizontal position when the device is unfolded and to cause said side walls to fold inwardly when the device is swung up over said slot, and an end wall hingedto said iange at the free end of said bottom member, said end wall being held in vertical posi/- tion by engagement with the ends of said side walls when the de'xfice is unfolded, and being allowed to drop intoA folded position when the device is swung up.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alixmy signature.

ADOLPH w. oLsoN. 

